As I've been researching for many years the families here in the Garber neighborhood, especially the real characters of Harold Bell Wright's best seller, "The Shepherd of the Hills," there's still one individual that I get asked about often out here while conducting the tours of the farm and Old Matt's Cabin. That individual would be Young Matt. His real name: Charles Robert Ross.
In chapter two of "The Shepherd of the Hills," Young Matt is introduced to the readers in the third paragraph. Here's what it says.
'Of the son, "Young Matt," the people called him, it is enough to say that he seemed made of the same metal and cast in the same mold as the father; a mighty frame, softened yet by young manhood's grace; a powerful neck and well poised head with wavy-red-brown hair; and blue eyes that had in them the calm of summer skies or the glint of battle steel. It was a countenance fearless and frank, but gentle and kind, and the eyes were honest eyes.'
Harold Bell Wright and Charles Ross, his inspiration for Young Matt, had been friends dating back to Wright's first arrival at the Ross Homestead along the Taney/Stone County line around 1897. Over the next eight years, Wright would return at least yearly, and in 1905, would camp with the Rosses for three months on a tall hillside above the cabin, the cornfield, that offered majestic views for miles in every direction.
Born Charles Robert Ross on January 24, 1876, in the prairie community of Idaville, Indiana, Charles was the only son of J.K. and Mary Ross. Unfortunately, Mary took sick when Charles was eleven months old and died December 26, 1876. Moving to an area near Goodland, Indiana, in Newton County, J.K. would marry Georgianna Willis on July 1, 1880, when Charles was four. These two would form a special bond as Mother and son.
When Charles was eight, the family would leave Indiana behind and relocate to Springfield, Missouri. J.K. took work as a carpenter and building contractor. While in Springfield they also rented a large house and opened it up as a hotel. In his teen years, Charles encouraged his folks to consider a rural lifestyle, so they ended up ten miles south of Springfield on a forty-acre farm. Working in farming, he would enjoy working in local apple orchards.
After the panic of 1893, the family decided another move was necessary, Charles had been into the White River country of Stone and Taney County and found the people there to be simple and content with what they had, yet there were many government homesteads available for claiming. The Land Office in Springfield gave J.K. and Charles the details of available property. One up on a high mountain along the Taney/Stone County line seemed quite impressive when they viewed it the first time in late summer 1894. Looking over the 160-acre piece, they noticed in addition to the marvelous view an excellent breeze and a forest of oak, in particular, a section of white oak on a narrow ridge that would be used to build a perfect home.
Claiming this particular 160 acres, construction on the new cabin began in the fall of 1894 and would be finished around the end of spring 1895. A couple of years later Harold Bell Wright would arrive. The Ross family had no idea that national fame would soon arrive to their farm.
At this point, I'd like to share a few details about Charles. Yes, it is true that while Wright was visiting, the two men often saddled up and Ross showed Wright many of the locations that would become household names to "The Shepherd of the Hills" readers.
Charles also had a love of photography and had his own professional photo business by 1906. He often photographed family gatherings and parties, and would join up with neighborhood photographer George Hall in doing interior images of Marble Cave, which was also featured in Wright's novel.
Charles did not capitalize at all on the fame of the book like his folks and Uncle Ike (Levi Morrill). Also, the romance portrayed between his Young Matt character and Sammy Lane (Susie Morrill) was completely fictional. Charles and Susie were good friends; they lived three miles apart. Susie was the daughter of Uncle Ike.
At age 32, Charles married Miss Ellen Faulkner of Marionville, Missouri, on February 5, 1908, in Pomona, California. Everyone in the Garber neighborhood hated to see the couple move west. They were well liked. Charles and Ellen would continue their photography business there for a few years.
By 1911 Charles was working at a packing plant in Pomona (Los Angeles County). He was involved in an accidental explosion suffering severe burns to his face, neck and hands, but he did survive.
He would come back to the Roark community several times and was here again when his folks both passed in 1923. It is believed that Charles and Ellen did not have any children. The census records do not show anything. Ellen's mother Ursula was living with them when she passed in 1913. Ellen's father Lyman had passed in Topeka in 1887 when Ellen was six.
Very little has been uncovered regarding Charles and Ellen while they were in California. At some point, they would move north to San Luis Obispo County, directly above Santa Barbara. They would relocate to the community of Arroyo Grande (near the coast). Charles would pass away from injuries in a motorcycle accident at age 57 on May 6, 1934. Ellen would live to age 90, passing on April 12, 1971. She still has family here in the Missouri Ozarks.
Researching Charles and Ellen has been quite a project and is far from over. It's worth noting that in the 1941 film of "The Shepherd of the Hills," John Wayne was cast to play the role of "Young Matt." The film was a disaster and in many circumstances was completely different than America's number one selling novel. John Wayne would even write an apology letter to the Wright family. He stated it was the worst film of his eight-year Hollywood career at the time!
Often, while helping take care of the famous Old Matt's Cabin out here, I'll wander up the narrow little stairs into what was Charles' bedroom after 1903, and often let my mind wander what it was really like when he was starting out with his little photo business. The few images I have seen always bring a great amount of joy to me, and it's an honor to conduct daily tours of this excellent cabin home.
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